| Box Score 2 McPHERSON, Ks. -- The University of North Texas at Dallas men's basketball team put an exclamation point to the end to its demanding northern swing here Saturday afternoon (Jan. 8) with a 77-67 win over Central Christian.
     On the heels of a Thursday victory over winless Langston, the Trailblazers headed home with a Sooner Athletic Conference record of 3-6 and a 7-9 season mark.  The loss dropped the hosts to the same records.
     The Trailblazers needed a thundering second half to claim their third conference win, rallying from a 39-32 halftime deficit to notch their 10-point advantage. Still playing without several veterans awaiting mid-term grade compliance clearing, they rode the performance of Vernon Johnson as he collected 28 points and 11 rebounds during his 40 minutes of play. Larry Rusk added 13 points and Hysheam Weston contributed 10.
     Hitting on 12 of 14 free throws in the second half provided the winners a big boost.
     Isaiah Rivera, 18, Reece Warren, 16, and Byron Staten, 14, provided Central Christian's firepower. Most of the hosts' offense damage came in the first half, before the aggressive Trailblazers defense took over and keyed a 45-28 second half advantage.
     What was to have been a doubleheader failed to materialize when the Central Christian women, dealing with health issues, were forced to forfeit. Thus, without ever changing from their street clothes, the Trailblazer women were awarded another conference win.
     After four straight road games, he UNTD teams return home Thursday (Jan. 13) to host SAC foe Wayland Baptist in their new venue, the Singing Hills Recreation Center.  The women's game is set for 6 p.m. with the men's tip-off at 7:45.